ECHOES OF GIACOMETTI - COMMEMORATING HISTORY
Learning Description
In this lesson, students will study how the artist, Alberto Giacometti, visually communicates meaning through texture, proportion, and posture. Applying these concepts, students will design a monument or memorial honoring a significant historical event from their unit of study.
Learning Targets
GRADE BAND: 6-8
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & SOCIAL STUDIES
LESSON DOWNLOADS:
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
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I can describe an important historical event from my unit of study.
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I can explain how Giacometti used posture, texture, and proportion to communicate meaning in his art.
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I can use posture, texture, and proportion to communicate meaning in my sculpture.
Essential Questions
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How can visual artists use art to tell about an important historical event?
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How did Giacometti use posture, texture, and proportion to communicate meaning in his art?
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How can I use posture, texture, and proportion to communicate meaning in my sculpture?
Georgia Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 6
Any history standard for grade 6 can be used for this lesson.
SS6H1, SS6H2, SS6H3, SS6H4
Grade 7
Any history standard for grade 7 can be used for this lesson.
SS7H1, SS7H2, SS7H3
Grade 8
Any history standard for grade 8 can be used for this lesson.
SS8H1, SS8H2, SS8H3, SS8H4, SS8H5, SS8H6, SS8H7, SS8H8, SS8H9, SS8H10, SS8H11, SS8H12
Arts Standards
Grade 6
VA6.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art.
VA6.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.
VA6.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.
VA6.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.
Grade 7
VA7.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art.
VA7.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.
VA7.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.
VA7.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.
Grade 8
VA8.CR.1 Visualize and generate ideas for creating works of art.
VA8.CR.2 Choose from a range of materials and/or methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan and create works of art.
VA8.CR.3 Engage in an array of processes, media, techniques, and/or technology through experimentation, practice, and persistence.
VA8.CR.4 Incorporate formal and informal components to create works of art.
South Carolina Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 6
Any history standard for grade 6 can be used for this lesson.
Grade 8
Any history standard for grade 8 can be used for this lesson.
Arts Standards
Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.
Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.
Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret (read) and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.
Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.
Key Vocabulary
Content Vocabulary
*Specific content vocabulary will be unique to the Social Studies unit being studied.
- Monument - A type of sculpture, often of significant size or importance, created to commemorate or honor a person, an event, an idea, or a place; it serves as a symbol or a reminder, preserving history, culture, or achievements
- Memorial - Can be a type of sculpture; similar to a monument but a memorial is focused more on honoring and remembering those who are no longer present or marking significant moments of loss or tragedy
- Inscription - A piece of writing that typically includes words, phrases, or sentences that commemorate, honor, or describe the significance of the monument
Arts Vocabulary
- Sculpture - A form of artwork that has three dimensions
- Texture - How something feels or looks like it feels
- Proportion - The size, scale, and relationships between different elements within a piece
- Disproportionate - When something in a piece of art looks unusually big, small, or out of place compared to the other things around it
- Posture - The way a person or an object is positioned or how they hold themselves in a painting, drawing, or sculpture
- Emphasis - What the artist wants to draw the viewer’s attention to
Materials
- Model Magic, modeling clay, OR aluminum foil sheets
- Scrap cardboard rectangles for base of sculpture (can be a cereal or snack box)
- If using foil for sculptures:
- Scissors
- Permanent markers
- Hot glue and hot glue gun for mounting sculpture on base
Instructional Design
Opening/Activating Strategy
- Project an image of Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture, Walking Man II.
- Ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder artful thinking routine.
- First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the sculpture (i.e. physical features, colors, textures, etc.).
- Next, ask students to identify what they think about the image. Emphasize that students should be creating inferences using visual evidence from the sculpture.
- Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image.
- Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.
Work Session
- Show students additional images of Giacometti’s sculptures (see “Additional Resources” section below).
- Focus on the question–what is the artwork about? What emotions does it evoke?
- Provide information to students on the artist and the sculpture:
- Giacometti was making sculptures like these after World War II. His sculptures attempted to show the weariness of humanity and the grief over what humanity was capable of doing to itself (i.e. Holocaust, atomic bomb, war, etc.). Source: Tate Modern - Alberto Giacometti “A New Way of Thinking about Humanity” (through minute 2:00).
- Ask students what characteristics of the sculpture communicate this message. Answers could include responses such as the elongated, thin figure; the rough, unfinished texture; the posture of the figure; etc.
- Tell students that texture in art is how something feels, like in a sculpture, or how something looks like it would feel, like in a painting or drawing.
- The rough texture of Giacometti’s sculptures is intentional. Ask students how they think Giacometti used texture to communicate his message.
- Tell students that when artists make things disproportionate, they are usually trying to emphasize (or draw attention to) something. Ask students why they think Giacometti's sculptures are disproportionate/elongated.
- Direct students’ attention to the posture of the figures. Ask students what the postures could mean.
- Explain to students that they will be creating sculptures in the style of Giacometti to demonstrate what they learned about the current history unit. Their sculptures will be a monument or memorial to commemorate an important event they are studying.
- Allow time for students to select an event.
- Show students examples of monuments and memorials. Ask students to consider what each monument or memorial means/symbolizes and how the artist communicated that. Example monuments and memorials:
- Tell students that they should consider the posture, texture and proportion of their figure(s) when creating their sculptures. The posture of the figure, the texture, and the proportion should say something about what they are trying to communicate.
- Sculptures can be made from Model Magic (air-dry), modeling clay (does not dry), or sheets of aluminum foil. Click here to view step by step instructions on how to create a Giacometti-inspired sculpture using aluminum foil.
- Allow time for students to brainstorm ideas for their sculptures. Students should create a sketched plan of their sculpture before beginning their sculpture.
- After they finish, students should create a title for their sculpture and write an inscription for their sculpture, such as a monument would have, on a 3x5 inch note card. Display the note card with the sculpture.
- Students should arrange their sculptures to create a class timeline.
Closing Reflection
- After students create their sculptures, they should complete a written explanation of their sculptures including how the characteristics of their sculpture–texture, proportion, and posture–connect to the event they are commemorating. They should be able to create direct connections between the characteristics of their sculptures and the event. They should also include why they selected the event for their sculpture.
- Provide an opportunity for students to talk about their artwork and their artistic choices with each other.
Assessments
Formative
Teacher will assess student learning through observation of students’ discussion of Standing Man II and how Giacometti used posture, texture, and proportion to communicate meaning in his sculptures; students’ ability to identify and explain an important event from the current unit of study; and observation of students’ sketched plans for their sculptures.
Summative
CHECKLIST
- Students can use posture, texture, and proportion to communicate important information about their event.
- Students can explain in written form how they used posture, texture, and proportion to communicate important information about their event.
- Students can explain why they selected the event for their sculpture.
- Students can describe the event accurately and concisely in their inscription.
DIFFERENTIATION
Acceleration: Have students research a memorial or monument that is associated with the unit of study; students should create a sketch of the memorial or monument and analyze how the artist(s) used texture, posture, and proportion to communicate meaning in the sculpture. Remediation:
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.
Ideas contributed by: Katy Betts
Revised and copyright: May 2024 @ ArtsNOW